Podonamu Mission functions primarily as a scholarship fund providing direct college tuition and living-expense support to individual students, with numerous repeat awards to the same recipients. Grants are small-to-midsize awards (commonly $5k–$15k) and appear targeted toward students from a Korean or Korean-American community centered in Irvine/SoCal. The foundation’s giving is person-focused rather than organizational, emphasizing ongoing individual education support over programmatic or institutional grants.
Distributed across many individual recipients but concentrated by repeat awards: relatively many modest-sized grants ($5k–$15k) with recurring payments to select students rather than large institutional or one-off gifts.
Podonamu Mission’s recent grantmaking is built around repeated $5,000 scholarships for individual college students, with support often renewed across multiple years for the same recipients. The pattern is highly personal: grants are directed to students rather than organizations, and the stated purpose is college tuition and living expenses. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Eunseo Ko of Winona Lake, Indiana; Hanah Kim of Wheaton, Illinois; Taeeun Lee of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Rachel Kang of Aston, Pennsylvania, showing continuity as a core part of the funder’s approach. The foundation’s awards sit in a compact range, but the giving is not limited to one campus or one city. Students in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, California, and North Dakota all appear among recent grantees. Podonamu Mission’s profile is that of a direct scholarship fund: it supports undergraduate and postsecondary education through small, recurring grants that help cover both tuition and day-to-day costs. The recipients listed suggest a Korean or Korean-American student community as an important part of its grantmaking pattern.
Podonamu Mission focuses on undergraduate affordability through direct awards for college tuition and living expenses. In 2025, it gave $5,000 to Sanji Lee of Urbana, Illinois for college tuition/living expense support, and the same amount to Yelean Jeong of Azusa, California for the same purpose. The foundation also supported students in other parts of the country with the same type of aid, including Yechin Kim of Waco, Texas. A second clear theme is continuity support for the same students over time. Hanah Kim of Wheaton, Illinois received awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Taeeun Lee of Grand Rapids, Michigan appears in 2024 and 2025; and Hojean Jin of Longview, Texas appears in 2023 and 2024. The recurring nature of these awards points to an education-support model that follows students across multiple academic years rather than making one-time gifts only.
Typical award size is fixed at $5,000, with p25, median, and p75 all at $5,000. That tight distribution shows a highly standardized scholarship model. The grants also recur across years: several students appear in 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating multi-year continuation rather than isolated one-off support. Podonamu Mission is classified as a regular funder and also funds individuals directly, which fits the scholarship pattern. The support is directed to people rather than institutions, and the stated use is college tuition and living expenses.
$80K
$162K
$98K
$81K
Most grants fall between $5K and $5K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$5K
About 7% of grants go to recipients in IN.
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Notable grantees: Hanah Kim, Yechin Kim, Seoha Yoo, Sanji Lee, Eunseo Ko
Podonamu Mission gives nationally, with all listed grants going to U.S. recipients. Indiana is the top state by grant count, followed by Illinois, Michigan, and Texas in the recent grants list. Recent recipient cities include Winona Lake, Wheaton, Grand Rapids, Urbana, Pensacola, Longview, Waco, Azusa, Irvine, and Aston. California accounts for 7% of grants to recipients, even though the foundation’s headquarters is in Irvine.
It funds direct scholarships for individuals, especially college tuition and living-expense support for undergraduate and postsecondary students. The recent grants list shows awards made to students rather than organizations, with the same purpose repeated across years.
The foundation’s grant size is very consistent: p25, median, and p75 are all $5,000. The recent grants list also shows that most awards are exactly $5,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Hanah Kim of Wheaton, Illinois; Taeeun Lee of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Hojean Jin of Longview, Texas. That pattern suggests ongoing support across academic years.
The grantmaking is national, but Indiana is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient locations also include Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, and North Dakota.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANJI LEE | URBANA, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| TAEEUN LEE | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HANAH KIM | WHEATON, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| JIHO KIM | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| EUNSEO KO | WINONA LAKE, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| RACHEL KANG | ASTON, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SEOHA YOO | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| YECHIN KIM | WACO, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| YELEAN JEONG | AZUSA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP |
| KYUNGIN NAM | IRVINE, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP |
| YEJIN KOO | AZUSA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP |
| SUNGJONG YU | WHEATON, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| CALEB HYESUNG JUN | WHEATON, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HYEUN KIM | FARGO, ND | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP |
| JENNY ONYU SHIN | PENSACOLA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HEECHAN CHUNG | HUNTINGDON, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP |
| EUNSEO KO | WINONA LAKE, IN | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SONGHEE KIM | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SEOHA YOO | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HANBIN YOO | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HANAH KIM | WHEATON, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| TAEEUN LEE | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SANJI LEE | URBANA, IL | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| JENNY SHIN | PENSACOLA, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| RACHEL KANG | ASTON, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| JIHO KIM | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| YECHIN KIM | WACO, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HOJEAN JIN | LONGVIEW, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| KARAM LEE | WACO, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| IAN ANGELINA HA | DALLAS, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HANAH KIM | WHEATON, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HA YOUNG CHUNG | PENSACOLA, FL | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HOJEAN JIN | LONGVIEW, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| YECHIN KIM | WACO, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SONGHEE KIM | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| IAN ANGELINA HA | DALLAS, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SEOHA YOO | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| SANJI LEE | URBANA, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| KARAM LEE | WACO, TX | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| EUNSEO KO | WINONA LAKE, IN | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
| HEECHAN CHUNG | HUNTINGDON, PA | $5,000 | 2023 | COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP |
SANJI LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
TAEEUN LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HANAH KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
JIHO KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
EUNSEO KO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
RACHEL KANG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SEOHA YOO
COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
YECHIN KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
YELEAN JEONG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP
KYUNGIN NAM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP
YEJIN KOO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP
SUNGJONG YU
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
CALEB HYESUNG JUN
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HYEUN KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP
JENNY ONYU SHIN
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HEECHAN CHUNG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION/LIVING EXP
EUNSEO KO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SONGHEE KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SEOHA YOO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HANBIN YOO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HANAH KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
TAEEUN LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SANJI LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
JENNY SHIN
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
RACHEL KANG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
JIHO KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
YECHIN KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HOJEAN JIN
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
KARAM LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
IAN ANGELINA HA
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HANAH KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HA YOUNG CHUNG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HOJEAN JIN
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
YECHIN KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SONGHEE KIM
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
IAN ANGELINA HA
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SEOHA YOO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
SANJI LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
KARAM LEE
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
EUNSEO KO
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP
HEECHAN CHUNG
$5,000COLLEGE TUITION / LIVING EXP